BRUSSELS/ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and +Yugoslavia have still not taken the appropriate political and +economic steps to qualify for accession to the programme of +assistance and trade cooperation with the
European Union, said a +report issued on Wednesday at a regular session of the European +Committee in Brussels.+ In line with its "regional access" project, the European Union put +Croatia in the group of countries including BH, Yugoslavia, +Macedonia, and Albania. + A review is conducted every six months to see if the said countries +have fulfilled pre-conditions necessary to access the EU.+ Albania and Macedonia were given positive evaluations, while +Croatia and Yugoslavia were given a clear 'thumbs down'. + BH could do better, a EU official told Reuters news agency. The +official added that Croatia had adopted a law on the return of +refugees however, but had not yet implemente
BRUSSELS/ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and
Yugoslavia have still not taken the appropriate political and
economic steps to qualify for accession to the programme of
assistance and trade cooperation with the European Union, said a
report issued on Wednesday at a regular session of the European
Committee in Brussels.
In line with its "regional access" project, the European Union put
Croatia in the group of countries including BH, Yugoslavia,
Macedonia, and Albania.
A review is conducted every six months to see if the said countries
have fulfilled pre-conditions necessary to access the EU.
Albania and Macedonia were given positive evaluations, while
Croatia and Yugoslavia were given a clear 'thumbs down'.
BH could do better, a EU official told Reuters news agency. The
official added that Croatia had adopted a law on the return of
refugees however, but had not yet implemented it.
Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic referred to Croatia's
probable exclusion from the PHARE programme while speaking on the
occasion of the publication of the text of an agreement on special
relations between Croatia and the Croat-Muslim Federation of BH.
"We don't expect the PHARE programme yet, even though we consider
this to be an oversight by the international community
and the EU", said Granic.
He added Croatia had done the most with regard to the implementation
of the Dayton peace agreement. He considered membership to the
PHARE programme could assist in the peace process.
The European Commission's report on Croatia shall be made available
as a public document if it is adopted by the EU Council of Ministers,
scheduled to meet on November 9.
Granic announced he expected support for the upcoming donors'
conference on Croatia's reconstruction and development, which is
scheduled for December 4 & 5 in Zagreb.
(Hina) sp/ha